MacKenzie 1

F/O HENRY H. MACKENZIE RCAF - BACKGROUND

Aged 23. Service Number J18188. Killed on 3rd of January 1944 when his aircraft was shot down by an enemy fighter between the Forest of Compiegne and Le Touquet, France. He is buried in the Marissel French National Cemetery at Beauvais, Oise, France.

Born in Anyox, British Columbia, 17 April 1920. Son of Henry Hector MacKenzie and Marie MacKenzie. Educated at Nelson Central School, 1927-1935, Nelson High School, 1936-1940, and University School, University of British Columbia, 193801939.

Private, Canadian Army, 19 June 1941 to 11 August 1941; released on application to enlist in RCAF.

Enlisted in RCAF, Vancouver, 13 August 1941. Posted to No.1 Manning Depot (Toronto), 30 August 1941 for kitting and basic assessment. Posted to 26 September to Station Trenton, Ontario.

To No.6 Initial Training School, Toronto, 11 November 1941.
Promoted Leading Aircraftman, 2 January 1942.

Posted to No.10 Elementary Flying Training School, Hamilton, Ontario, 4 January 1942. Flew Tiger Moth aircraft (36 hours five minutes dual, 37 hours 15 minutes solo; these figures include three hours of night flying and ten hours of instrument flying; also logged 12 hours 30 minutes in Link Trainer.

Posted to No.6 Service Flying Training School, Dunnville, Ontario, 29 March 1942. Flew Harvard aircraft (56 hours 30 minutes dual by day, eight hours five minutes dual by night, 77 hours 15 minutes solo by day, nine hours solo by night. Of this, 23 hours flown on instruments and 25 hours spent in Link Trainer.

Graduated and promoted Sergeant, 17 July 1942.
To "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1 August 1942.
Disembarked in Britain, 18 August 1942.
To No.3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, 19 August 1942.
To No.5 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, 28 August 1942

To No.55 Operational Training Unit, 22 September 1942. Flew three hours 35 minutes on Miles Master aircraft. Flew 89 hours 20 minutes solo on Hurricanes (of this, 35 hours was formation flying). Also spent 15 hours in Link.

To No.198 Squadron RAF, 15 December 1942.
Promoted Flight Sergeant, 17 January 1943
Commissioned, 22 June 1943
Promoted Flying Officer, 21 December 1943

Killed in action, 3 January 1944. Typhoon aircraft JR523. The following is the text of a letter from Squadron Leader John Baldwin to Air Ministry:

"I have the honour to draw attention to our casualty signal A.23 dated 3 January 1944 and to further explain the circumstances under which the above named pilot was reported missing.
At 11.40 hours on 3rd January 1944, Flying Officer Mackenzie took off from Manston as Blue 3 in a formation of four Typhoons on a Ranger operation to Juvincourt.
On reaching Compiegne, in conditions of low cloud, a formation of five Me.109s was encountered at the same height and a dog fight ensued. One Me.109 being destroyed and another two damaged, but the formation had been split in the cloud and all aircraft made for base individually.
During the return trip Blue 1 checked all members by Radio Telephone and received an O.K. from them all including Flying Officer Mackenzie. Despite this, however, when the formation eventually reformed, Flying Officer Mackenzie was missing and not seen again."